Jasmine Tea
by Binch
Summary: After living the life of a child soldier in a Kirigakure rebel group for the better part of her childhood, Haruno Sakura arrives on team 7 with a more realistic angle on the ninja world.
1. Chapter 1

The room was dimly lit, shadows and whispers danced behind the sliding door and Haruno Sakura traced every movement as she shifted in her kneeling position. The pins and needles that ran from her knees to her toes made her scrunch her nose in discomfort.

"Sakura, quit fidgeting." Her mother chided softly as her lips thinned into a purse.

Making a noise at the back of her throat, Sakura looked up to her mother wanting to explain herself; she'd never draw her mother's ire without a reason. However, as she opened her mouth to voice her complaints, an over-sized hand weighed down her shoulder. The words dissolved on her tongue when her startled gaze settled on the stern cut of her father's expression.

A shot of unease ran though her at her father's reaction, and her small hands clenched and unclenched in her lap as the whispers from outside began to hush until they were no more then a soft lull. The shadows that seemed to dance before now seemed rushed, they skipped and shifted in a way that made anxiety peck at the back of her skull.

Her mother's hand fell onto her's and grasped it firmly, a silent reprimand. The lack of movement made her uncomfortable.

Sitting sandwiched between the tense forms of her mother and father, Sakura felt an edge of queasiness form at the pit of her stomach. She didn't even know why they were _here_ , she'd just been told that it was important that she come along. Sakura liked to feel needed, she loved feeling like she was important, but this didn't feel right. She didn't like the rigidness of her parents, she didn't like this room, she didn't like this feeling simmering in her stomach. She wanted to leave so badly it made her toes curl.

"Okaa-san…" She whispered quietly, her mother tilted her head down, but didn't look at her. "Okaa-sa-"

Sakura twitched and bit her tongue as the door slid open and two men entered. Their gazes swept the trio hawkishly, lingering on her for a moment, before they kneeled. She noticed absently that their yukatas were disheveled as if they'd put them on in a rush, and one had a quirk to his lips in an almost smile.

The room felt stifling.

She clenched her small hands underneath her sleeves, and tried minimalizing herself into her mother's side as much as she could without coming off as rude. Her teeth grinded on her inside cheek as her pale green eyes gauged the men in front of her with childish fright.

The larger of the two had cropped brown hair, stern eyes, and lightly tanned skin. His back was held so stiffly it looked almost painful, and his shoulders were pulled back in a way that made them look so strong and wide that they reminded her of a mountain range, she half expected to see the sun rise from behind them. He was intimidating in a way that made her feel cowed in his presence, but it was the slimmer of the two that truly made her wish she could melt into the safetey of her mother's grasp.

This man had inky black hair that flowed down his shoulders in stringy pieces, and his eyes were equally black which made his skin seemed paler in contrast. The casual way he held himself made him seem out of place in his formal wear, yet he held an air of composure despite his lacking appearance. The aura around him felt like mud, so thick and unmoving that she was sure if she took a deep breath she'd choke. Goosebumps rose on her skin as he caught her stare, and she quickly averted her eyes.

She almost screamed as he clapped his hands. His thin lipped smile was like the edge of a knife.

"Let's get down to business."

* * *

 **A/N: I've literally been meaning to write this forever and I finally found the motivation to write this tiny little bit when I was supposed to be writing essays for school so I hope you enjoy! I promise the next chapter will be longer I just wanted to get it started.,,Please leave a review i love them**

 **also the title probably has nothing to do w/ the story i just think the name is pretty**


	2. Chapter 2

"Let's get down to business," He flicked his hand carelessly to her father, "What is it you want?"

The terrifying man's partner looked at him sharply but in return all he did was flick his hair behind him and roll his shoulders. She glanced quickly at her father who seemed ruffled and insulted for a moment before his lips formed a firm line.

"As you know, crossing the border out of Water Country at the moment is nearly impossible without the proper paper work," He began in a gruff voice, "we have none of the documentation, and getting any authentic papers that would allow us to migrate to any of the other countries, specifically somewhere like Fire Country, is difficult for even the wealthy. At this point in time, my business is near bankruptcy and there are no signs of recovery in this economy."

"So?" The dark haired man challenged, "What does this have to do with us?" He tilted his head and dark strings of hair fell into his face as he fluttered his eyes in mock confusion. Her father started, twitching in frustration but he once again smothered it.

"My wife and I… We've heard a rumor saying that The Jasmine Tea Company was exchanging documentation for work," Her father paused, hesitant, as the terrifying man's face bloomed into a smile, "is this true?"

If possible, the man's smile stretched wider, flashing his canines to the three. It made Sakura wish she was a turtle so she could hide in her shell.

"It is." Sakura's eyes flickered to the man with the broad shoulders; his voice was deep and fit his appearance.

Her mother glanced at her before speaking with furrowed eyebrows.

"What are the terms?"

"Sign her with us for two years and you shall receive your payment." He said shortly.

Sakura glanced between her parents in confusion, her? What did he mean? She tugged on her mother's sleeve gently, but she would not look at her. Her face twisted in an unattractive way, with her mouth pulled down and eyes looking pained, but instead of looking at her she turned towards her father. He glanced at her fleetingly.

"We accept." He said with his face twisted in the same way her mother's was.

Guilt, she would later realize.

* * *

The two men left them in the room alone, she watched their shadows retreat behind the door until they were no more.

"Sakura-chan," Her mother's voice made her jump and she looked up at her owlishly. Her bottom lip was wobbling a bit in the same way hers did when she was about to cry, "We're… We're going to be leaving you here in the care of these people for a bit," She paused for a long moment watching her daughter blink quickly before continuing, "We want you to behave yourself while we're gone."

"What?" She squawked in a small voice, feeling a rush of nausea.

Her mother took her hands into her own and squeezed them, desperately almost, but all it did was make the woman's jaw tightened and her lips wobble harder. The way she began squinting made her crows feet more pronounced, and Sakura recognized the maneuver from the many times she herself had tried to hold back tears.

"Sakura," She tore her eyes from her mother's face to look at her father's, his was all tight lines and frowns, "You're going to stay here, please trust our judgement." Sakura looked back at her mother and she nodded weakly at his words.

She swallowed, and something pushed at her eyes and she could feel the water gates prying themselves open.

"But I don't wanna stay here…" She said in an almost whisper. She could feel her mother's hands shudder at her words.

"This- this isn't about what you want Sakura." Her father's didn't sound like himself as he spoke, like he was just some puppet and someone was just moving his mouth and speaking for him.

"Okaa-san?" She hiccupped as her hands fumbled against her mother's. The woman looked stricken as she huddled against her side and burrowed her face into her sleeve.

* * *

"Sak-" The words were sticky in her mouth as her daughter's tears seeped through her sleeve and her throat tightened hotly.

"Mebuki." The woman looked up at Kizashi desperately; his face was tight with thinly veiled pain as he nodded.

"I-" She choked as she tried to maneuver her daughter away from her. The look of utter rejection on Sakura's face sent a whole new wave of emotions that made her stand up too quickly. She stumbled on her stiff legs as she back peddled away from the girl.

"I-I love yo- be safe." Her words were cluttered together as Sakura looked up at her with those pale green eyes. She turned towards the door shielding herself from them and out of the corner of her eye she noticed Kizashi standing too.

"We love you Sakura, be a good girl." Kizashi's words sounded empty and she felt ill as he placed his hands on her shoulders and directed her towards the door.

"There needs to be sacrifices." He whispered in her ear. She was sure his mouth tasted like guilt from those words, just as hers did when she heard her daughter cry out as Kizashi slid the door shut behind them.

The man with the cropped brown hair and the broad shoulders was waiting down the hall as they came out, he looked at them expectantly. Kizashi nodded stiffly towards him, and she felt his hand tighten on her shoulder.

"Please wait in the room down the hall to your left. Your payment will be given to you as soon as we confirm the details."

Her shoulder's seized up as he passed. Kami, what had they done.

* * *

 **A/N: GOD, I'm so sorry this is so short after almost a month since the first chapter. I was super busy with finals and the end of the year but its summer now so I can actually get into writing again. (tbh my summer started a few days ago but I was still in recovery from finals week) so yeah! The Harunos are terrible parents and totally OOC but they aren't really important canon wise anyway so whatever! I actually don't really imagine them as the parents from canon Naruto so you don't have to either, or do, who cares. I promise the next chapter will be longer but I just wanted to update. Please review! Also don't be obnoxious! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Waking up felt like emerging from water, only denser, and with limbs encased in stone.

The young girl pursed her lips in disdain as light pressed against her eyes, and she reluctantly forced them into a squint, grogginess clouded her vision like a rolling fog. She vaguely recognized a dull ache at the back of her neck before she made a noise that sounded like an animalistic complaint.

"Ah, she's awake."

Sakura jerked at the unfamiliar voice, grogginess suddenly pushed back to be dealt with later as she twisted her small body into a somewhat crouch. She looked like a frightened pink monkey as she heaved the blanket so that it was piled in front of her, holding it up to her nose like a barrier.

Two sets of eyes looked down on her with veiled interest.

It was the men from before, the ones from the meeting.

Her fingers curled into the material of the blanket as her petrified gaze lingered on the slimmer of the two, the one who made fear feel like a boiling pot about to simmer over. Yet as her gaze cut to his larger companion, she felt herself eyeing the man's hand wearily, the ache at the back of her neck feeling heavy at the memory of his hand cutting down like guillotine the moment she'd slid the door open to chase after her parents.

Like hot sparks to a dry wood, the thought of them made the gnawing anxiety of their whereabouts come back at full flame.

"Where are they?" She asked with what was supposed to be boldness but had melded into a whimper, "My parents." She clarified meekly under their unimpressed gaze. Facing these strangers without them made her feel like a newly born fledgling flapping its useless wings as a hungry python curled around her.

The dark haired one shrugged, she could feel her cheeks go pink with frustration.

"Not here, certainly. However you need not worry about them either way, they will only be a distraction." He supplied. His lazy gaze trailed towards his partner, the likes of whom seemed as miffed as his stoic appearance would allow when the man lifted his chin like a haughty daimyo cuing him to speak.

He eyed his partner unappreciatively as he spoke, "Your parent's have signed you over to Jasmine Tea Company. You are our property and shall be under our jurisdiction until further notice."

"What?" She squawked as her lip wobbled. Their words left her breathless; her parents had really left her in the hands these strange people. Moisture gathered in her eyes and she shivered as she felt the cool claws of betrayal dig into her skin.

The man paid her no heed to her panic as he continued, "You will be following the orders of your superv-"

"Sakura-chan, how old are you?" the other one cut in, ignoring the look of annoyance that was cast his way in favor of observing her like a particularly interesting bug.

"…six." She murmured as she battled the desire to bury her face in the material of her futon.

She shifted uncomfortably and nearly cringed when his mouth lifted into the same predatory smile he'd had during the meeting. His inky pits called eyes gleamed in a way that made her want to hide beneath her blanket and wish him away.

"Tsuyoshi-san," His voice ringing like a pleasant bell, "I'm taking this one."

The stern man now known as Tsuyoshi frowned deeply, his face cut in expressive lines of distaste at the thought. Their eyes met and the challenge exchanged was so clear it might as well have been vocalized. But after a prolonged moment of will versus will, Tsuyoshi's shoulders slumped slightly, and he sighed a sigh that came from the pit of chest, slightly wheezy and filled with resignation.

With a clap of his hands the other man's lips curled a little tighter and Sakura suddenly felt very, very, small.

"It seems from this day forward I will be your retainer. You may address me as Masaru-sama." The saccharine sweetness coating his voice gave him a distinct slimy element that made her want to wash her hands.

When words wouldn't come, she nodded faintly.

* * *

Tsuyoshi felt a tinge of pity for the girl as he watched Masaru's fingers dig into her shoulder as he lead her away. Her jade eyes glanced at him pleadingly, accusingly, with a message that read _I don't want to be with this man,_ and he silently conveyed his sympathy; but there was little he could do to assist her. He was essentially powerless against the will of Masaru -his roots in the company splayed much deeper than his own- and although it frustrated him, all he could do was accept his place in the hierarchy. His words held little power other than persuasion, and even had he spoken vocally about the matter, his assault would have been like oil to water on such a stubborn man.

It was truly a shame that her parents had given her up at this age, had she been a few years older her place in the company could have been different. But young children were such easily influenced, malleable things, they could be shaped and twisted to the company's will. As much as he'd faintly hoped during their first meeting that her fragile stature and shy persona would land her a place as a simple laborer, Masaru had already seen to it that her path was being paved as a child solider. He could almost picture the man grouting the soil and carefully laying the bricks for which the girl would walk.

He breathed out a sigh as he fished the Haruno's contract from the front of his yukata. He glanced over the official script briefly as he ran a hand through his cropped brown hair before ripping it in two with a swift movement of the wrist.

Had the mundane couple truly thought something so convenient existed within the confines of Water Country during a reign so brutal it'd been named the bloody mist, than they were duller than he'd originally believed. Though, he supposed that's what the company was looking for; desperate, hopeful, people who were either foolish or selfish enough to sacrifice someone else's freedom.

He scoffed slightly, and crossed his arms.

In the end, it was these people that fueled the goals of Jasmine Tea Company; that of which had plans that seemed too idealistic and simple to be achievable. Yet, despite himself, he was feeling less doubt and more anticipation as Kirigakure no Sato became more unstable as the years progressed, and an even smaller part of him was proud that the company was slowly sinking it claws deeper and deeper into the financial system of Water Country. With careful planning, and many allies, the company would be able to snatch the power right from under the daimyo and the current Mizukage's nose. All while under the transparent guise of a merchant trading company that dealt with foreign and local teas.

His lips thinned into a grim line. It was unfortunate that young lives had to be sacrificed for such a cause, but it was a necessary evil. Financial and at least some means of physically offensive power was invaluable to their operation, and in order for Water Country to change for the better, this was the sort of steps that it needed to take.

* * *

She let the near painful grip of Masaru guide her through the eerily empty halls, her feet feeling like pin pricks beneath her, faltering and teetering with each step she took.

"Masaru-sama… Where are we going?" She asked, her voice wavering dangerously as his fingers dug deeper into her clothed shoulder

"Sakura-chan, it's not good to ask questions." His voice was pitched to sound playful but Sakura clenched and unclenched her tiny fists nervously at the threatening tone underneath. Her chest felt tight against the fluttering of her heartbeat.

The rest of walk was silent, nothing but the patter of her feet reached her ears, even the shadows and whispers she'd followed so closely before were unsettlingly absent from the traditional halls. The hairs on the back of her neck rose when she noticed her guide made no sound when he walked, and she wondered morbidly if he was some sort of angry kami leading her to her punishment for all the difficulties she'd caused her parents.

His grip on her shoulder gave, and she was twirled so suddenly she yelped in surprise.

"He we are." He said as he slid the door open and pushed her inside. She stumbled slightly, but she didn't fall much to her inward relief.

The room itself was significantly larger than the others she'd been in, and though it was filled with same tatami mats and white walls, it seemed emptier too.

"What are w-" She smothered her mouth with her hand before the question could escape and she looked up cautiously through her bangs.

He looked almost refreshed as he stepped forward, but he tsked lowly as he looked down at his rumpled yukata.

"Wait here. I'll be back."

With that, he poofed out of existence and she was left staring wide eyed at the empty spot left behind.

She shifted nervously backwards and felt queasy at the thought that maybe he really was some type of angry kami come to punish her. She warily eyed the room around her, expecting the floors to give out and the walls to turn to flame.

Another poof in front of her made her jump back in surprise and this time she did fall, a look of apprehension splayed across her face as she gazed forward.

Instead of the yukata that he'd seemed so misplaced in before, he now wore black pants and a mesh shirt. In her opinion, he was much more intimidating than he had been before, and he must have seen it all over her face because he smiled his sharp smile as he threw some type of black material at her. She scrambled to catch it, and as she held it up she realized it was clothing, a pair of pants and a simple shirt. She looked at him with both brows raised in question.

"Change." He said with an impatient wave of his hand. Her face went pink, and she bit her lip as she hesitated, but the look on his face made her comply. Embarrassment forgotten as she scrambled to do as she was told, she'd always been a rather obedient child, especially in the face of someone as terrifying as Masaru.

The shirt was too big, and the pants had to be folded at the ankle to accommodate her short legs. She felt ridiculous in them and she cradled her own clothes to her chest wondering why she'd been forced to change.

"Sakura-chan, those will only get in the way. Give them to me." He said airly as he held out his hand expectantly.

"But-!" She didn't want to give them to him. They smelled like home, they were a comfort in a place vast and foreign. Her eyes dipped from the pale green shirt that her mother had told her matched her eyes, to the face of Masaru. His lips quirked into something frosty, and she suddenly missed his savage smiles, because this time she couldn't fight the tremble that ran up her spine.

She blinked and before she knew what was happening, her hands felt lighter and the warmth of cloth against her chest had disappeared.

"Now," He said as he threw her clothes behind him, forgotten in the hallway as he slid the door shut, "we can finally begin."

The disturbed smile was back and the soft sobs that heaved from her chest came as no surprise to either of them.

* * *

A/N: Still kind of short but at least my chapters are getting progressively longer... Idk what to say about this chapter tbh but please review!


	4. Chapter 4

Masaru appraised the pink haired child in front of him as he watched he her skinny physique shake as she moved through the exercises. She still retained all the softness children held at this age, except without the energetic type of endurance he usually found in brats. He frowned for a moment, and his eyes strayed to her mop of candyfloss hair that stuck to her face in a sweaty mess, inwardly aghast at the bright color.

Decidedly, she was nothing like their usual candidates. Where they were all jagged edges waiting to be honed, she was something round and smooth, not quite right for type of weapons the company was searching to create. Yet, he thought as he smirked, there were those taunting traits in her that he'd noticed the moment he'd first laid eyes on her. With the way she clung to people, with the way she kept quiet and listened when others spoke.

"Enough."

Almost immediately she flopped to the ground, chest heaving for air as she hefted herself up on trembling legs to look at him with the same jade eyes filled with fearful anticipation.

 _Obedience._

"Sakura-chan, you did well."

Her expression perked slightly at his compliment, into something still weary, but hungry. Hungry for praise, hungry for approval, hungry for kindness. He indulged her with a smile, one that he tried to make friendly, like a proud sensei. She smiled back, it was small and wobbly, but he saw it and it filled him with the same feeling he'd had when he'd picked her.

 _Reliance._

"Thank you, Masaru-sama." She said shyly, hesitant in the way someone unfamiliar with praise spoke.

Overall, her physical display had been dismal. There was no doubt in his mind that she would be easily overlooked by the company, doomed to be someone expendable when worse came to worse. Yet she had everything he wanted. The perfect pawn was someone who relied on him and trusted him so thoroughly that he could twist their little mind with just a sentence, and this, this little pink haired girl so desperate for someone to grasp onto was the perfect candidate for the position.

He would drape her in a cloak of incompetence, as he busily filed away at the round edges of this pink ball of fuzz underneath, and when he was done, he would have a magnificent weapon loyal to _him_.

His smile edged into something harsher, and the girl withdrew into herself again, but it was too late because she'd already revealed everything he'd need.

* * *

This physical assessment, as Masaru had deemed it, made Sakura feel like some type of glorified sweaty tent in the oversized training clothes he'd given her. She'd never pushed herself very much before. In all her six years the most she'd done was walk long ways, such escapade usually ended in her giving out after a mile, and whenever exhaustion kicked in her father's back would have been readily available for her to cling to.

The thought made her mash her lips together as she pushed through the exercise, her face red from exertion and her eyes feeling watery despite all the crying she'd done earlier.

Conflicted was the overwhelming feeling she felt. She missed her parents but she hated them for leaving her here. It made her want to shrivel up in the corner away from Masaru's prying gaze to cry her heart out and throw a pity party in full swing. But- but, she edged a look over at him, her chin lowering so her bangs hid her gaze, his overwhelming presence made her all too aware of him. She couldn't decide how she felt about him. Fear, was one obvious trait that he inspired in her, but she wondered if she could say she truly hated him. Hate wasn't something that came easily to her, and she'd never really hated a person before. She hated it when she had to go to bed early without dinner, she hated the feeling of falling and scraping her knees, she hated being left here by her parents. But hate this man? She wasn't sure.

"Enough."

She allowed her arms to give out beneath her in the middle of a push up, her body felt red hot as she pushed herself up on her too-used limbs, vaguely, she realized she was shaking. She kept her gaze on him as her chest heaved. Her lungs felt abused, wondering why on earth their owner was doing this to them.

"Sakura-chan, you did well." He said, and her mood brightened slightly at the compliment, and he must have noticed because then he smiled. It wasn't like the smiles before, because it was something meant to be comforting, and it looked strange on his face. It seemed misplaced and it reminded her of the yukata he'd worn earlier.

He looked at her like he expected a response.

"Thank you, Masaru-sama." She genuinely smiled a bit, welcoming the praise, welcoming the kindness of a potential companion no matter how terrifying he was.

His smile sharpened, and she faltered once more.

* * *

After the physical, Masaru had shown her to a room that reminded her of a larger than regulation broom closet, only with a futon to replace all the cleaning supplies.

She looked up at him, hoping for an explanation and wishing questions weren't off limits. A rule like that was hard for a curious girl like her to apply.

"Your room." He stated flippantly with a point of the finger and a push to the back. He smiled warmly again, and it made her feel less perturbed, "sleep well, Sakura-chan."

With that, the door slid closed and she was left alone in the dark with just the thoughts of her parents and a heavy feeling loneliness to keep her company.

A thought stuck her. She was truly alone now.

"Alone...?" she whispered to herself. The word rolled strangely on her tongue like the pit of a cherry, except without any of the sweet flesh of the fruit and more of an odd taste of bitterness.

Then she cried, and she crawled her way onto the futon as her tired muscles caught up to her. She wondered bleakly how one person had this many tears to give as she began to fall out of consciousness.

* * *

Waking up was a chore, of course, with her screaming body and her creaky bones, but somehow having Masaru hovering over you made you forget about your limits and just want to complete the task.

Her clothes felt stale, and her hair must have looked like one big piece of sticky gum that someone plopped on her head. She blushed, feeling as if her mother would be clucking her tongue like an angry hen if she saw her.

"Hm…" Masaru eyed her hair critically, and sniffed as he turned from her doorway and began down the hall. She blinked, and waddled after him.

"We'll have to do something… about _that_." He said critically, as he turned dramatically to look at her, "Maybe chop it all off, you're really better off without it at this point."

She tried not to look appalled at the idea, not wanting to go against him, but remembering the feeling of her mother's hands running through her hair as she gently pried the knots out made her want to protect her pink locks.

Something struck her face and she flinched backwards violently, quickly jutting her head down to look at the offending object only to see an elastic band at her feet.

"Use that for now, we'll deal with _it_ later."

Sakura picked up the band and fumbled valiantly with trying to put her hair in a bun as she walked after him, almost bumping into his back as he stopped abruptly in front of what she believed to be the room from yesterday.

He glanced at her as he opened the door and sighed when he saw her hands trapped in the ungodly mess of pink. He looked put out as he sighed again, and she blushed hotly as she tried to reclaim her hands and fish out the unsalvageable elastic band in the process. She was stuttering out apologies when he fished out a sharp knife looking object from a pouch on his leg and she felt the blood drain from her face. She floundered, feeling out of depth as he approached and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

Her head felt much lighter when she unscrewed her eyes, and she realized that she was not dead or bleeding.

Masaru tilted his head and his hair tumbled over his shoulder with the movement.

"It suits you better this way."

She blinked hard, still recovering from her mild panic attack, and realized he was talking about her hair.

"…Yes, Masaru-sama." She answered, not thankful for the haircut but feeling like she should give some type of response anyway.

He grinned cheekily at her, which was new for him and it made her face warm slightly in embarrassment and a little bit of indignation, but she could not wallow in it because she found herself being coaxed into the room. He slid the door shut behind them.

"Today you'll be doing katas. Observe, then copy my movements." He spoke confidently as he walked toward the center of the room. With that, he began a series of punches and kicks that awed her a bit with their fluidness. He was slow, methodical, and emphasized his movements as she watched.

"Your turn." His mouth pulled as he curled his finger in a 'come-hither' motion. She felt hesitant as she trudged forward, his looming presence making her stomach pitch from nerves.

He gave her a pointed look when she did nothing. Taking that as her cue, she clumsily attempted to copy his movements from memory, her muscles screamed in protest as he made strange humming noises of assessment. She thought they sounded vaguely threatening, but she supposed that was just his personality.

"You misstep at some points, but overall it wasn't bad. Go again."

Her chest filled with a warm kind of pride at his words, and she tried again, pressing forward with a bit more vigor than before as she tried to impress him. He commented lightly on her form, and tapped her limbs when they were out of position, but slowly, she picked up momentum as she memorized the kata.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him prop his hand on his hip in a casual stance as he continued to assess her, waiting to smooth over mistakes.

His eyes cut up to her face and his mouth split into an encouraging smile when he caught her staring, and it made part of her want to baulk and ask him why he was doing that when he'd been acting like the boogey man come to life only the day before. However, a much larger part of her welcomed his newfound kindness like a plant's need for sunlight.

She turned away, never seeing the foreboding smirk curl at the edges of his lips.

* * *

A/N: Omg…. This is so late and so short… yikes! But at least I got some plot progression in. I'm not entirely satisfied with it, which means I'll probably end up coming back to edit it at 3 am, but idk I just wanted to update.

Please review!


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